The following opinion editorial is written by analyst Joe Guzzardi and published by “Progressives For Immigration Reform.” Guzzardi is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who writes about immigration and related social issues. The following is republished in its entirety, with permission.

With Round 3 of the Democratic president debates set for this Thursday, the nation should brace itself for the leading candidates’ hearty endorsement of more budget-busting, public safety-threatening ideas.

Despite its projected $70 billion cost, Medicare for all, including illegal immigrants, is the frontrunners’ favorite talking point. But that idea is so off the rails that even longtime uber-liberal and former Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, instrumental in pushing Obamacare through Congress, called the giveaway a “loser” for the 2020 Democrats. Reid was equally critical of the misguided proposal that border crossing be decriminalized. He correctly predicted that if such an ill-conceived idea became law, it would trigger unprecedented border surges.

The candidates love to talk about reforming Immigration Customs and Enforcement. “Reform” is the walk-back word they’ve chosen to replace “abolish” – too harsh a word to describe an agency that in recent weeks removed human smugglers and sex traffickers, and arrested a man for posting online threats to commit terrorist acts and mass shootings. These aren’t the nannies or the landscapers that the Democrats invariably point to as ICE’s targets and victims.

The error-prone Joe Biden, who nonetheless leads in polls for the Presidential nomination, has a new proposal. The former Vice President of the United States and swamp dweller of nearly half of a century wants 2 million more immigrants annually, and said that objections to his idea are “bizarre.”

By urging higher immigration levels, Biden displayed a total lack of understanding of the multiplier effect of immigration on the eventual immigrant totals. Princeton University calculated that each new immigrant will petition – chain migration – 3.5 family members. The 2 million Biden wants becomes 7 million. For its part, the Census Bureau identified births to immigrants as the primary population increase driver.

Predicting the number of children immigrants will have once they reach the United States is impossible, but it’s safe to say that the number might mean another 1 million or more. All would be granted lifetime valid employment authorization documents, and the full affirmative benefits package, as do the current 1 million-plus that arrive each year. While Biden is therefore dismissive of critics to his immigration expansion proposal, if it were presented more honestly, resistance would be much greater.

Always excluded from immigration advocates’ arguments on behalf of higher levels are the environmental and quality of life consequences for this and future generations. Population growth is a no-no topic. Despite what expansionists claim, growth is not inevitable, but rather congressionally imposed through legislation that promotes it and refusal to enforce existing federal laws. Immigrants are not to blame.

Consider these statistics that the Census Bureau provides: since 2000, more than 50 million people have been added to our sprawling nation, mostly at Congress’ invitation. Since 1970, more than 120 million people have been added, again mostly thanks to Congress’ liberal immigration policies. Nothing slows down immigration – not the terror attack of 9/11, recessions, high unemployment, the mortgage meltdown or other events that logic dictates should create at least a pause.

The concept that the U.S. can support a significantly larger and ever-growing population – and still maintain a desirable quality of life and protect the environment, which Biden and other globalists endorse – is a convenient lie that enables them to dodge the facts.

Immigration increases are popular on Capitol Hill, with big business and religious leaders. But likely voters identify immigration as their major concern, surpassing health care. Harvard-Harris polling conducted earlier this year found that, by a significant margin, Americans want less immigration, a message that hasn’t sunk in yet with Biden or his Democratic rivals.

Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at [email protected].